Lemon Cichlid (Neolamprologus leleupi)

Common Name:

Lemon Cichlid.

Other Name:

Leleupi, Lemon "Lamprologus".

Scientific Name:

Neolamprologus leleupi.

Family:

Cichlidae.

Class:

African.

Distribution:

Southern half of Lake Tanganyika: Uvira, the Congo; between Malagarasi River and Bulu Point, Tanzania; Southern Congo between Capes Tembwe and Zongwe.

Size:

Approx 4.5 inches.

Diet:

Micro invertebrates in the wild. In the aquarium, brine shrimp are a good choice as they fit the bill for micro invertebrates and contain the carotene necessary to keep the Lemon Cichlid in its eponymous coloration. Other good foods would include any of the high-protein cichlid diets intended for Rift Lake predators and any predatory fish blend, which contains color enhancers.

Water Temperature:

80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius).

Water Chemistry:

They like alkaline water (pH 8.7 to 9.4 in the wild, 8 to 9 in captivity) that is very hard (12 to 14 kH). They can be acclimated to water of slightly lower alkalinity in captivity. Like most Tanganyikans, these fishes do not tolerate fluctuations in water parameters well. Because of this, copious water changes are to be eschewed in favour of frequent (possibly even daily) ones.

pH:

8-9.

Lifespan:

8-10 years.

Description:

Beautiful, elongated, streamlined and orange-yellow, these fishes are the show-stoppers of many Tanganyikan aquaria. Their fins and body are generally uniformly coloured (hopefully in the brilliant tones which have given them the common name "Lemon Cichlid"). Their fins are, for the most part, long, yet cropped close to the body. The pectoral fins, however, are rather large and showy.

Behaviour:

These are crevice dwellers par excellence and will waste away without sufficient quantities of shelters. They thusly need tanks with lots of rocks. They are somewhat defensive of their territories, especially when fry-rearing time comes.

With the exception of their mates and progeny, mature N. leleupis are not likely to tolerate their conspecifics.

Sexing:

Males and females of similar ages may display size disparity (the male being the larger of the two). Males may get a rudimentary version of the nuchal hump displayed by many of the larger cichlids. Females may exhibit more of a slope in their forehead as well as a rounded pelvic fin.

Breeding:

As these are monogamous fish, which do not readily form pair bonds, the method of raising a half dozen, or more juvenile to maturity and allowing them to pair off is recommended.

While substrate spawners, they lay their eggs in a crevice. The male guards the territory about the crevice while the female takes prime responsibility for the care and well being of her progeny.

Mark Philip Smith says not to raise the fry over dark substrate, so these substrate spawners should get light gravel, crushed coral or whitish sand on the bottom of their tank.

Smith also mentions that the feeding of Artemia nauplii should start with the commensal of feeding by the fry, as they need the assistance of carotene in developing their namesake coloration.

Natural Conditions

Natural shelters ranging from plantings and detritus to the substrate itself and rock surfaces between 30 and 120 feet deep.

Minimum recommended tank size:

75 gallons to raise several specimens, perhaps 20-25 for a pair and their young progeny.

Miscellaneous:

Contrary to the fact that there is still infrequent usage of the subspecific name N. l. melas, there are only two subspecies of N. leleupi, the nominate form and N. l. longior. As can be expected, the N. l. longior form is more elongated than the nominate form.

This species was once part of the genus Lamprologus.

Photo Credit:

Photos supplied courtesy and ^©Rick Clark.